Aideen (Slater Brothers)(12)

 

We spent the next thirty minutes talking, sharing old and new stories with Damien when Kane suddenly hushed up and jumped to his feet. He shot to the door and cracked it open before quickly closing it.

 

“They’re coming,” he rushed. “Dame, behind the door. Quickly.”

 

Damien ran for the door and slipped behind it just as the door opened and Alec stepped into the room. He paused when he saw Kane was right next to the door. He stared at him.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“Nowhere,” Kane replied. “I heard you guys talking so I was just getting the door for you all.”

 

“Oh.” Alec’s features relaxed. “Thanks, bro. That’s nice of you.”

 

We breathed a sigh of relief when he entered the room followed by Ryder, Keela and Branna. I smiled when I saw her. She took time off work just so she could go back and forth between the hospital to help Kane and me with whatever we needed over the next few days.

 

She was a sweetheart, but looked a shell of her former self as she stood next to Ryder.

 

“What’s the news?” she asked. “You said it was good news on the phone to Alec.”

 

“It is good news,” Kane began, a slow smile stretching across his face. “But it’s not something I can show or tell you.”

 

Ryder raised a brow. “Who can then?”

 

I chuckled as Damien rounded on Keela’s right and came up next to Kane, patting his shoulder.

 

“I’ll take it from here, bro.”

 

I smiled wide as realisation washed over Branna, Ryder, Keela and Alec. Branna let her phone and bag drop to the floor as she shot forward.

 

“Damien!” She cried and jumped into his open arms.

 

He laughed as he caught her in mid-air and locked his arms tightly around her. “Mama bear, I’ve missed you.”

 

Branna burst into tears as Damien’s brothers and Keela stared at him with wide eyes. Ryder stepped forward and, without hesitation, he grabbed hold of Damien. This resulted in a Slater brother sandwich with a Branna filling.

 

I momentarily wondered if that was the closest contact both Ryder and Branna had with one another since their problems started. I shook my head clear of that worry and looked to Alec and Keela. Keela was in tears as she hugged a close-to-crying Alec.

 

“You little bastard,” he sniffled. “I’m going to cry.”

 

Damien laughed and stretched his neck so he could see over Ryder and Branna. “Dominic cried, too, if it makes you feel better.”

 

“You asshole!” Nico angrily spat making Damien crack up laughing. “You said you wouldn’t tell anyone.”

 

Alec wiped under his eyes. “That does make me feel better, actually.”

 

“My bad, bro,” Damien chuckled to Nico.

 

Nico rolled his eyes, but smiled at his twin. He looked to Bronagh then who was staring at Damien with a cheek-splitting smile.

 

“Happy, are we?” he murmured and slipped his hand around her waist and tugged her closer to his side.

 

Her hands instantly went to her abdomen as her head bobbed up and down. She looked at Dominic as her eyes welled with tears. “I’m happier than I’ve ever been. He’s home, and we’re goin’ to have a baby. A real baby, Dominic.”

 

Dominic leaned his head down to Bronagh’s and brushed his lips over hers. “The first of many, pretty girl.”

 

“Awwww.”

 

Everyone looked at me, and it caused me to blush. Kane chuckled at me and nudged me to scoot over on my bed so he could climb up and sit next to me.

 

“I love you,” I whispered to him.

 

He looked me dead in the eye and said, “I love you, too.”

 

“Hell must have frozen over for Kane to be in love,” Damien commented, making everyone snicker.

 

I grinned and nudged Kane’s cheek with my nose.

 

“You mean you didn’t see the pigs flying around outside?” I teased.

 

Damien laughed.

 

“Dimples!” I rasped. “Nico has dimples and you don’t… wait, no, you kind of do. Little ones. Damn it.”

 

Damien focused his devastating smile in my direction.

 

“Just stick with the hair, beautiful. It’s what everyone else does.”

 

I melted. “I’ll find something. Eventually. I’ll just have to stare at you a lot until I do.”

 

“Fine by me.”

 

“But not by me,” Kane growled.

 

“Please,” Nico laughed. “I catch her staring at me all the time. All those crotch stares were wannabe cock stares.”